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    COVER STORY                                                        FEBRUARY 13, 2026       |  The Indian Eye                    4

                                                         INDIA–US DEAL

                                  A RESET

                                        IN TIES

             As India steps into what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the decisive “second quarter of the 21st
              century,” the new India–US trade deal is emerging as a key economic and strategic lever shaping growth,
                                                     global standing, and bilateral cooperation.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            investment  flows.  By  dismantling
                                                                                                                  what  Jaishankar  described  as  a  “50
            New Delhi/Washington
                                                                                                                  per cent tariff wall,” both economies
                  he recently announced India–                                                                    are expected to see a surge in export
                  United States trade deal marks                                                                  volumes  and  renewed  confidence
            Tmore than the easing of tariff                                                                       among businesses.
            tensions  between  the  world’s  two                                                                    Viksit Bharat and “Future-
            largest  democracies.  It  represents                                                                          Ready” Trade
            a  calibrated  strategic  move  that  fits
            squarely into Prime Minister Naren-                                                                        or the Modi government, how-
            dra Modi’s long-term vision of Viksit                                                                      ever, the significance of the deal
            Bharat  by  2047,  strengthens  India’s                                                               Fgoes  far  beyond  numbers.  In
            global  image  as  a  trusted  economic                                                               his parliamentary address, the Prime
            partner,  and  adds  fresh  momentum                                                                  Minister repeatedly emphasised that
            to an increasingly multi-dimensional                                                                  India  is  now  signing  “future-ready”
            India–US relationship.                                                                                trade  agreements  aligned  with  do-
                Speaking  in  Parliament  this                                                                    mestic reform and global integration.
            week while replying to the Motion of                                                                      “In  the  past  few  days,  we  have
            Thanks  on  the  President’s  Address,                                                                had trade deals with nine big and im-
            Prime Minister Modi framed the cur-                                                                   portant countries,” Modi said, calling
            rent moment in almost civilisational                                                                  the  agreement  with  the  27-member
            terms. “The first quarter of the 21st                                                                 European Union the “mother of all
            century has completed. But this sec-                                                                  deals” while placing the US pact in
            ond quarter is decisive, just like the   For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the deal with the US is an important step in his vision for   the  same  strategic  category.  “The
            second  quarter  of  India’s  freedom                                                                 entire world is openly praising these
            struggle was,” he said, underscoring                      development in India (File)                 trade deals. With stability, the world
            that  India  would  no  longer  “miss                                                                 can  now  sense  speed  in  India,”  he
            the bus” but instead “lead from the   ecutive  Director  of  ORF  America,   ington  and  New  Delhi  say  a  joint   added.
            front.”                           the  agreement  “concludes  a  period   statement  outlining  sequencing  and   This  emphasis  on  speed  and
                The India–US trade agreement,   of high trade tensions and sets a new   technical details is expected shortly,   stability  reflects  a  broader  shift  in
            announced  amid  this  broader  nar-  path for bilateral commerce.”  providing a roadmap for implemen-  India’s economic diplomacy. Rather
            rative of reform and global engage-   Central  to  the  breakthrough  is   tation. The tariff rollback is expect-  than  defensive  trade  postures,  New
            ment, is being seen in New Delhi as   the  decision  by  US  President  Don-  ed  to  benefit  key  sectors  including   Delhi is positioning itself as a proac-
            a concrete manifestation of that am-  ald Trump to slash tariffs on Indian   agriculture, technology, pharmaceu-  tive shaper of global supply chains—
            bition.                           goods  to  18  per  cent,  down  from   ticals,  and  manufacturing—areas   an approach that dovetails with the
               Ending a Phase of Trade        the punitive 50 per cent imposed in   that already anchor India–US trade,   Viksit Bharat goal of making India a
                        Friction              September last year. “It has brought   which crossed USD 190 billion in re-  developed nation by 2047.
                                              a sense of relief to those who were   cent years.                       Addressing India’s youth, Modi
                  t the most immediate level, the   concerned  about  the  very  high  tar-  Market  analysts  and  industry   argued  that  these  agreements  open
                  deal brings relief after months   iffs…which now appear to go away,”   leaders  have  reacted  positively,  de-  global markets to Indian talent. “The
            Aof  elevated  trade  tensions.   Jaishankar told ANI.              scribing the agreement as a stabilis-  world  market  is  now  open  to  our
            According to Dhruva Jaishankar, Ex-   Government  sources  in  Wash-  ing force that could unlock long-term   Continued on next page... >>

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